It's the bomb. When I bought it, I was not impressed. The basedrum was somehow lame. You don't believe? And the other sounds were so used up. But the more you get into it the more you realize that putting all together gives something transcendentical. The real techno feeling, the right authentic groove. The simple formula: "tr909 = groove, no tr909 = no groove" is true. I sould the first 909 I had, and regret it. Later I bought another one. The second is nicer in the base, but the clap is tuned to low and doesn't sound as hot as the first one. I believe that the units realy differ from each other in some ways. On the other hand, if you have the 909, you MUST have some other weapons from Roland as well in order to make full use of it and to get the this synergetic effect. I have a SH101 synchrozed to the 909. It's a killer combination. Next I will get the tr707. Taken for itself, SH-101 and tr707 are bullshit. Only in conjunction with the TR-909 things start to sound special. It is the synchronizion and the sequencer. The 707 comes with some additional sounds which are needed to fill up the spectrum. I run things through a Joemeek SC4 processor, which alters the character of the rhythm and gives more punch. I tried to use just 909 samples before with my Akai S6000. You don't come even close to the original. For a good groove you will always adjust the sounds until everything sounds nice. This is hardly possible. Rebirth 339 sounds okay, timing is tight, but you hear the digital origin, which makes it sound like plastic.

Rating: 4 out of 5
posted Thursday-Oct-20-2005 at 08:14

Rich
a professional user
from Vancouver BC Canada
writes:

Dated, tired, cliche and so on have been used to describe this instrument. Whatever. Simple truth is that this machine is a beast, and the cost of ownership is high but the rewards are worth it. The 909 goes beyond quantifiable value; it transcends the base reality of monetary value and taps into the rareified atmosphere of pure inspiration that few instruments ever reach. Say whatever you want about it being overplayed and overused, because while you whine "909 sucks because blah blah blah" I'm destroying dancefloors and making people move.

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Monday-Oct-03-2005 at 15:36

stephen AKA REGEMUS
a part-time user
from UK
writes:

I can say that after owning many a drum machine that the tr909 stands up as a legend. The crowds go bonkers when you bring in the warm bass drum leaves all the other drum machines ive ever used and owned standind, apart from the tr808 another beast that kicks ass. The tr909 has 10 outputs so i compress idividual sounds and have an effect over one sound rather than all of them. Its awesome. I paid 750 english pounds, but is worth every penny. After 2 days i put a mod on the bass drum for extra tuning and overdrive, and added tuning to the hihats. wow facter 10. If you get chance to own one of these, do it. thiers nothing like a tr909, and your friends will go green with envy

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Wednesday-Sep-28-2005 at 16:10

steve porter from sneakyalien
a professional user
from uk
writes:

TR909 is a fantastic drum machine,the bassdrum when EQ'd correctly and compressed properly with just a hint of distortion will move bowels on the dancefloor,the bass end in it is superb.The snare has presence in any mix(again if compressed properly) and gives a solid whack to compliment the kickdrum.Hihats are cool and the hand clap is superb.Toms are so so but useable. The two best attributes of this machine are obviousley the sounds and then the sequencer,it is the sequencer that is the soul of the funk this machine has coupled with the randomness of analog drum sounds the machine just grooves...simple as that.Is it worth the 700 quid I paid for it?Yes definitely,I play this on rigs and it makes people wanna neck pills and dance till dawn.If you are into dance music you should get one,forget all the clones of the 909 and 808 I have had them and they don't touch this baby.Forget the people who say they are over used and no longer cool they probably cannot get a 909 and use samples.I love analog and only use analog synths and drum machines,even my desk is analog,Forget all the synth plugins and horrible virtual synths,yes they have a place I suppose but they are no replacement for the real analog sound.Having spent the last 3 years really getting into sound production I truely appreciate the sound of analog and my digital synths have a place but do not comapre,its always the analogs i turn to,its the same with the tr909 and tr808...class defo a a million out of 5.

Rating: 5 out of 5
posted Wednesday-Aug-24-2005 at 09:55

steve
a professional user
writes:

This is a fantastic beat machine,the kick drum alone is worth the money but couple it with the snare,clap and hats and then trigger them from the all important sequencer and you have a machine that grooves and gets people of the dance floor.I have had the novation drum station and yes the sounds do come close and I do rate the drum station but it is missing the sequencer the 909 has sure you can twiddle in cubase or whatever but i doubt you will get the same groove.You have to ask your self why people are still paying up to a thousand pounds for one of these machines that only has a handfull of sounds and the answer is simple,put simply the 909 makes people dance...period.I am giving a 5 out of five..what else?its awesome get one and get it in your tracks.